My Interview on “Debt-Free Degree” Podcast Part 3

|“The earlier you can begin your college prep process, the more engaged, confident and self-aware you’re going to be as a result.”


This is Part 3 of a Debt-Free Degree, a 3-part podcast series. Here’s what you’re going to discover in this final episode:

  Discover:

  • How soon should parents start thinking about preparing their child for college
  • Why leaving the college prep process too late can sabotage your chances to get admitted
  • One bad piece of advice you want to avoid when it comes to college finances
  • How the Ivy League Challenge can help you get admitted into your dream university

     And so much more.

 

Ready for the Ivy League Challenge?

Take the Challenge today!

 

Too many people are overwhelmed, stressed out, and frustrated about college admissions prep. I created this podcast to help you build a standout college profile and boost your confidence. Enjoy!

– Steve Gardner, Founder

Listen to my podcast

Listen to other podcasts 

Success Mindset

The right mindset can ensure your success. Listen to begin building your own winning mindset now. 

Start listening

Build Your Confidence 

When everyone else is trying to fit in or go with the flow, learn how you can develop the confidence you need to blaze your own successful path. 

Start listening

Reduce Stress & Anxiety 

Stories, research, real-life examples... Listen to learn how my Harvard peers and I faced stress and overwhelm. 

Start listening

How to Stand Out 

Hard work and great test scores are not enough- but what kind of admissions prep activities will help you get in? It's not what you think... 

Start listening

Admissions Strategy 

Essays, rec. letters, curriculum choices, college visits, research, test scores, and more. Don't wear yourself out with a bad strategy.  

Start listening

Succeed In High School 

The best college prep will ensure you thrive in middle school & high school. Don't settle for stressful, unhelpful college prep advice. 

Start listening

Would you like to be notified when new episodes are launched in your favorite category?

Yes, sign me up

Transcript

 

Welcome back to season two of the Ivy League Prep Academy Podcast. Equipping you to successfully pursue the college of your dreams. We believe everyone deserves to reach their full potential, and the admissions process shouldn't hold you back.

It is so exciting to be back in the studio and talking to you again through this podcast. Because Ivy League challenge registration is open and is closing soon. I'm actually going to be posting little clips of when I was recently interviewed on debt free degree podcast and debt free degree. Of course, is a podcast that specializes in helping students earn scholarships for to pay for their university. And of course, the Ivy League. Challenge is the program. It is the blueprint that can help you not only get admitted to top tier universities, but it's exactly the same stuff that helps you earn amazing levels of school. And so I interviewed on that podcast and some of the snippets from that podcast were things that I think would be valuable for you to hear, especially those of you who are on the fence trying to decide if you're going to register for the Ivy League challenge this cohort or put it off for some other day, some other time. I cannot say strongly enough. You do not want to wait. Even if you're really busy this summer, even if you've got other. Things, even if you don't think that it's time yet, this is the time to sign up for the Ivy League challenge. This is the time to identify your values become more consistent, more congruent, more authentic to those values, and develop your confidence at whatever stage you're at. Whether you're in middle school or high school, you develop that confidence by going through this process. And so I'm really excited. I'm not going to take anymore time. Here we go without any further ado, we'll jump to the podcast itself.

Speaker 2

That's awesome, Steve. It sounds like quite a bit of your program would really help with the the after the student is already in college, you know for their what I call college success, a lot of what you're talking about, they'll be using not just in high school, but throughout college and probably beyond as well the, the. Skills that they're learning, everything. I'm really impressed with that. But let me ask you this. So I mentioned, yes, I know college students are going to benefit from this as well, but how early should parents be thinking about this and getting information and and getting their kids started? You know, how does what? What's the ideal or the OR the best case scenario?

Speaker 1

You know what? If if your strategy is the the bad advice that we talked about earlier, if your strategy is to stress out over, you know, unlimited AP courses and hundreds of. Hours of. volunteer work and everything else that it's just so stressful and so unhelpful if that's the advice then then just wait until the last minute procrastinate, just like everyone does. And and don't do it. OK. But if your strategy is to identify your personal values and then authentically live those values so you're more engaged in life so that you're happier and more confident and more authentic, why wouldn't you begin earlier? Why wouldn't you begin earlier? I find that some students. Are ready, even as early as 7th grade. They're mature enough to to begin able to recognize their values before that very, very rare rare for students that are any younger than that to really be able to do the introspect. The self reflection that is necessary to to pull out those values their parents might be able to do some with them and their parents might understand some of it if they have a good relationship.

But generally I say 8th grade for most students end of 8th grade is a great time 9th grade for sure, and you're already behind. If you're waiting beyond ninth grade, which you know, don't let that stress you out. If you're in 11th grade or 10th grade and you haven't started yet, you still want to identify your values as soon as possible. I'll tell you what. Most people do most people because it's so stressful and because. You know, it's not. It's so overwhelming. Most people wait until they have to submit their their application like in two weeks, and then they're trying to figure out what to write their essays about. And they don't even know what their personal values are, let alone have a track record of authentically living those values, let alone have. Amazing evidence of making an impact because of those values, let alone be able to reach out to a college professor and say, you know, that research I helped you with. Can you write a letter of recommendation for me? Because by far those are the most powerful letters of recommendations that you can have. But anyway, yeah, if you're if you're, if you're doing the old strategy following the bad advice, it's not terrible to wait until the summer of your senior year to to wait until the summer, leading to your senior year to begin your application process, because you're gonna be floundering anyway. It's just gonna be 1 big stressful mess. But if your strategy.

Speaker 2

And and that's what we're told, right? That's what we're told is, is to wait until, you know mid to late June, your year to start thinking about and doing anything college related. It and it is a recipe for disaster.

Speaker 1

It's tragic, it's tragic.

Speaker 2

It is but. But as you said, you know it's not that. And I'll tell people it's it's not that you've. That there, that's a lost cause, that that's not the truth. What you have though is that you have some catching up to do and that catching up. We need to really hone that and focus on it, and let's get to brass tacks. Here, let's get. It all done.

Speaker 1

You need to be on. The fast track. Exactly, yeah.

Speaker 2

That's right. That's exactly right.

Speaker 1

The earlier you can begin, the more engaged you're going to be, the more confident you're going to be. The more self aware you're going to be and the the more you. Can scale your impact. So I like earlier by far, but whenever whenever you realize that you want to engage in life, that's the.

Speaker 2

And I'll tell parents the same thing, because when it comes to. Thinking about college finances? Again, we're told don't even take those ACT and SAT exams until middle to late junior. Year well that. Didn't work out really well for the vast majority of U.S. citizens in the COVID near. I like to call it the earlier. If you feel that your child is somewhat mature compared to their other peers in their classroom. This is the time to start thinking about and acting on both Steve and I's programs. Our programs are very symbiotic because they work with your child with who they are right now and let's get them honed in to what impact they can make in the world right now, because you'd be surprised to know. A lot of parents think I have an average kid. There's no such animal. Everyone has something special and. We'll help you find it.

Speaker 1

It's a diamond. In the rough, you just don't know how to recognize what the diamond looks like in its rough state. If you can Polish it, you'd be amazed at what. You have there.

Speaker 2

100% correct. Well, Steve, where can? Parents get more info about the Ivy League challenge. I understand it. You're going to be opening. It up pretty soon.

Speaker 1

We'll do 2 cohorts in June, July, August. It's a six module 12 week course, but you're you're it's very, very, very symbiotic with the other summer courses or the other summer programs that you're doing so. I find that a lot of students who want to join the Ivy League challenge are worried that. It's gonna overwhelm. Them and I let them know. Look, it's a 2 hour commitment. Once a week, we. Have a live call with me. I do the training, then we put the recording in your Members area. Everything else is asynchronous, so you do everything else on your own time and the the key here is that if you're doing some amazing program or you're working or you're doing an internship or whatever you're doing during the summer, this is only going to help you be more engaged. And more focused on the things that you're doing. Because we're going to, we're going to, you know, the Ivy League health challenge by itself will get more out of your summer program that you're already planning to do than you would have gotten out of it without joining the Ivy League challenge. So the Ivy League Health challenge will get your body and your mind in shape and your mindset where it needs to be. And then if you're already doing something really cool, well then. Let's let me teach. You about how to leverage that really cool thing. And how to connect it to your values so that you're setting yourself up for success so you know how to generate the evidence that the universities are looking for so that you anyway it's just so that you're setting everything, you're doing everything the right way so you're not spinning your wheels and wondering what you're supposed to. Be doing and so it's a 12 week course but.

The commitment is that that you want to fully engage in life and then everything else is going to be will work with your schedule. Your Members area is asynchronous except for a lie. There will be times where where you and I can speak personally and make sure that you're on the right track. I mean, all of that is included in the Ivy League challenge, but it's designed so that whatever your other commitments are, we're only going to enhance your productivity in those areas. That's the goal. That is the that is the result that we see because a lot of students who join are ambitious and their summers are already full and they wish they had heard about this six months ago, so they could sign up. And then if I have 10 minutes. With them I can explain. If you're already full, this is the best thing you can do because you'll make the most of the other activities that you're doing and you'll cut through all of the noise so that you know what matters and what's valuable for your application process. And because we're doing this in a way that most authentically engages you and your values, you might discover that some of your other summer activities. Weren't as valuable as you thought, and it's better to to discover that sooner than later. The most important thing you can do is is this work that we do in the Ivy League? But what can I say?

Speaker 2

Well, parents, make sure that you go to the website, go to. The show notes. There'll be a link in there you can just click on it. I'm so excited about this program. I think that it's going to be beneficial for so many students. I just love it. I I wish that I could take the class because I could use a little bit of. A pick me up every now and then as well.

Speaker 1

It's it's beautiful. It's the most meaningful thing that I've ever done in my life, and that includes the, you know, the work I did with professional athletes and professional musicians. There's something special about working with teenagers and knowing that this impact is going to remain. This is my impact project. This is something that resonates with my values. And seeing teenagers come to life and justice fully engage in life is is the most meaningful thing that that I could possibly be doing? So I I love, I love, love, love working with your teenagers. If they're ready to engage in life, send them along. I love to work with them and and see what we can do. To register for the Ivy League challenge, you can go to the show notes, or if you're not able to go to show notes because of the platform that you're listening to this on, just go to tilc.to/register

See you in the class!